Method of construction and apparatus involving bull&#39;s eye pilot mountings



Nov. 11, 1952 1'. H. CLINE 6 METHOD OF" CONSTRUCTION AND APPARATUS INVOLVING BULLS EYE PILOT MOUNTINGS Filed July 21, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET l z r 1 I l x I l I Nov. 11, 1952 1'. H. CLINE 2,617,869

METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION AND APPARATUS INVOLVING BULLS EYE PILOT MOUNTINGS Filed July 21, 1950 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 IHIJHIIIIIIIHIA Patented Nov. 11, 1952 r ice METHOD OF'CONSTBUCTION AND AP- PARATUS INVOLVING BULLS EYE PILOT MOUNTINGS of New York Application July 21, 1950, S'erial1No.'175,l55

3 Claims.

"The present invention relates to miniature lightingfixtures and concerns itself more particularly with various novel construction methods of such lighting which are commercially adapted to sheetmetal enamelware such as kitchen stoves, etc.

In the manufactureand assembly of cooking andbakingovens and stoves which are electrically heated, it'is desirable to provide a visual index which will denote the condition of operation or non-operation with regard to itsmiscellaneous heating elements so that the operator may be apprised at a glanceof thepropriety or accuracy of'a'heatsetting or control condition. Where a number of surface heaters are utilized as .in a kitchen range, this .type of indication constitutes a safety device forofttimes the heating elements in..a brightlylighted room will provide inadequate manifestations to denote which ones of them are in use or in operation. Th finger touchmethod 'of testing to determine operativeness of a surface heating element is neither convenient nor safe. Various types of index devices have been utilized .forlaccomplishing visual indication.

"The provision ofadequately serviceable heat indexes has materially increased the over-all cost of "the appliance to such an extent competitive pricing has been madeimpractical.

' Accordinglmthe principal object of the present invention .is to provide an electrically illuminated :s

index. device which may be economically constructed and fabricated so that the cost of such devices may not unduly inflate the manufacturersgrosscost price of the complete fixture or appliance.

Another object of the present invention is to devise an electrically operable light index whose fixture characteristics lend themselves to rapid installation attended with low cost labor skill so that not only the fabrication but alsothe final installation maybe achieved economically.

These and other objects of the present invention whichwill become manifest during the course of the following disclosure are such as may be achieved by practicinga preferred embodiment accordingto the teachings indicated in the hereunto annexed drawings and such asrare described in the detailed specification which follows, in both of which .like reference numerals designate corresponding parts.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a table top kitchen .range .showing' applied thereto, in connection with the backboard panel, a set of '2 index devices according to the present invention; .Fig. 2 is .an enlarged transverse sectional view taken approximately on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 show- 7 .ing .a portion of an index light in section and other portions thereof in broken-away elevation;

Fig. Bis an enlarged cross-sectional view taken approximately on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of a bulls eye or'light transparency designed for .usein accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged front elevational view of a fragment of backboardpanel showing a bulls eye index applied thereto constructed according .to the present invention;

Figs. 6 through 9 are a series of enlarged transverse sectional views througha backboard panel illustrating in ordinal sequence the steps which constitute anew method for applying electrically illuminated fixtyes in an economical and facile manner embodying various novel methods of accomplishment, and in the accompanying illustrations, the reference numeral H designates, generally, a sheet metal backboard panel .suchas is utilized customarily .in conjunction with certain classes of kitchen appliances and oftenvin kitchen ranges. These backboards serve the purpose of supporting control switches, timers and table top illumination fixtures. In some instances, and particularly in connection with electrical kitchen ranges, backboard panels provide support in a prominent and essentially visible position to visual indicating devices which denote the operativeness or non-operativeness of various ones of the heating elements that are located elsewhere in the unit.

In the particular design shown in Fig. 1, the backboard panel ll carries a superimposed .escutcheon or frame l2 which is principally apertured as at l3 to receive a clock and which is extended with a canopy as at M to conceal a tubular or fluorescent lighting element l5. The rectangular area It may be a sub-panel which supports a system of groups of push button switches electrically connected as with each group to one of the multiple element surface heaters l1, l8 or H! or the deep well heater 2|.

The push button groups which may comprise any suitable number of mutually exclusive operating members are arranged to connect into circuit-the heating elements of each of the units in various seriesand parallel manners according to already known practices, iorachievingvaria- .tions of adjustment in the heat intensities produced by each of the heating units.

Located in the common return circuit of any particular group of control button switches pertinent to each heating unit or operable under mechanical subservience to any of the push buttons of a, group, there is connected electrically the incandescent element of a small electric light bulb 22 so that coincident with any type of operation of one of the heating units the bulb 22 will be contemporaneously lighted providing an indication through a bulls eye transparency 23 which will give the visual information that the related unit is in service.

The precise manner, in which the terminal leads 24 and 25 receive their energizing current paralleling any of the push button or control switch operations of one of the heating unit groups, is not essential to the present invention since it may be varied to accommodat different preferences of association. The two terminal leads 24 and 25 connect to the electrically conductive sheet metal wafers 26 an 21 communieating ultimately with the socket screw thread of the bulb 22 on .the one hand and with the socket end contact on the other hand afte manners well known in electrical lighting bulb practice.

The lighting bulb 22 is contained in a tubular sleeve 3| preferably of insulation material and constructed so as to have a precise length relative to its spring yoke 32 which will be described later. Also the tubular member 3| should have an internal diameter suitable to securely receive a the socket portion 33 into which the base of the bulb 22 is threaded.

At the rear an insulation Washer 33 is placed between the wafer 25 and the heel 35 of the spring yoke 32. socket 33, wafers 26 and 27, yoke 32 and insulation washer 34 may be secured together by riveting or bolting givirr to the assembly sturdy qualities sufficient to withstand the rigors to which the apparatus may be subjected during manufacture and thereafter during use.

The remote extremities of the two legs of the yoke 32 are bent outwardly as best indicated at 36 so that with a normal springiness in this member the legs tend to flare to a span significantly greater than that illustrated in Fig. 2. On compression the flared extremities 38 may be inserted into apertures behind the strap formations 3'! in a clamp ring 33 at the same time that the forward extremity 39 of tube 3| abuts the planar surface 49 of the bulls ey transparency causing the two units to be coupled under the firmness of the inherent spring tension in yoke member 32.

The seating elements for receiving the bulls eye lighting fixture comprise a permanent installation that may be generally identified as a grommet and consists of two component members, one of which has been termed a clamping ring and designated 38 and the other of which is a thimble 4|, Figs. 6 and '7, whose sleeve is of suitable diameter to be inserted into a stamped aperture 42 in the panel H. Ultimately this sleeve 46 is turned over as at 43 straddling and embracing the metal thicknesses of the back panel l and the clamping ring 38, see Figs. 8 and 9. The front collar 44 of thimble 4| may be advantageously arched or over-spun to an extent which will afford a compressible space as at 45 whereafter when the skirt portion of sleeve 48 is turned up to form the flange 43, Fig. 8, attendant with sufiicient stamping pressure, the assembly may be accomplished in a manner which will hold the clamping ring 38 securely in its circumferentially aligned position.

The entire assembly including The clamping ring 38 is a metallic annulus deformed at diametrically opposite points by a die shearing and forming operation which produces the strap yokes 31. It is import-ant to control the depth of this formation so as to correspond with the dimensional relationship between the length of sleeve 3| and that of the spring yokes 32 so that the outwardly turned leg projections 36 engage the inner surfaces of the yoke formations 31 at the same time that the forward edge of tube or sleeve 3| indicated 39 abuts the surface 49 of the bulls eye or transparency 23.

As a consequence of the herein told methods of constructin and applying electrically lighted index-es to panel boards, it is made feasible and practical to form the apertures 42 during the original stamping of a backboard sheet metal object or any other panel. The application of the grommet assembly, which includes sleeve 4| and clamping ring 38, may thereafter be performed on a finishing bench concurrently with any other surf-ace treatments and following painting or enameling. Finally when the bulb carrying sleeve 3| is to be applied, this may be done instantly as a step in an assembly line procedure and with the lowest grade of labor skill whereby to accomplish a sturdy and vibration free result. In order to give clearance to a full depth compression of the spring yoke 32, it is contemplated that the bulls eye transparency or plastic molding 23 be provided with notches as at 5|. This permits the outwardly turned portions 36 to overlap the radial dimensions of the flange portions of the bulls eye members 23 without deterring from the frontwardly visible circular contour of the transparen-cies.

It is sometimes preferred to emb'oss the inner surfaces of the transparencies 23 with some form Of jewel cutting whereby to achieve multiple refleeting surfaces or facets such as indicated at 52. It is to be observed that where this practice is incorporated, there is encountered no interference in the construction or application features of the present design.

While the present invention has been explained and described with reference to a particular contemplation of structural details, it will be understood nevertheless that numerous modifications and variations are susceptible of incorporation without departing from the essential spirit or scope thereof. It is accordingly not intended to be limited in an understanding of the invention to the details shown in annexed drawings nor to the particular language employed in the foregoing descriptive explanation except as indi cated by the hereunto appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. An electrically illuminated index fixture which comprises an anchored portion which includes a thimble having a preformed annular flange at one end thereof and a sleeve portion at the other end thereof, and a fixture ring adapted to be received on said thimble and to be clamped between said thimble flange and a subsequently formed flange formation of its sleeve portion, a tubular socket for containing an electric light bulb, a transparency having a portion for protruding through said anchored portion, said transparency having innermost thereof a circular surface to receive one end of said tubular socket, opposed clearance notches formed in. said transparency, and a yoke spring comprising a hairpin formed member secured to therear of said tubular socket at its mid-point. and having leg portions extending longitudinallywith said tubular member and flaring at their terminals outwardly whereby to be compressible in the clearance notches of said transparency for entry into distended portions of said fixture ring.

2. A snap-on type index light for panel mounting which comprises a grommet portion for securement to a panel which comprises a sleeve adapted to be positioned within a circular opening in a panel, a clamp ring having a circular aperture to receive said sleeve and be clamped against the panel when flanges are formed on both ends of said sleeve, said clamp ring having radially deformed strap formations, a transparency comprising a circular formation having a reduced diameter portion for protruding thru said sleeve and a collar of greater diameter for abutment against said clamp ring, said collar having a shouldered inset recess and radial notches which align with said channel ribs, and alight socket comprising a tubular sleeve of predetermined length having a screw thread electrical connection at one end whereby a small diameter electric light may be fully inserted into said sleeve and threaded into said connection, a hairpin fastener secured at its center to the rear of said sleeve and having springable flaring legs which may be compressed and directed along the notches in said transparency circular formation for release to insertion within said strap formations.

3. An electrically illuminated index light which 6 comprises a grommet portion of two parts, one having a preformed annular flange at one end thereof and another having a clamp ring adapted to be received by said first mentioned part and to be clamped thereto a springably removable portion including a tubular socket for containing an electric light bulb, a, transparency which protrudes through the grommet portion and having innermost thereof a circular surface to receive one end of said tubular socket and having opposed clearance notches, and a spring comprising a springable hairpin formed member secured to the rear of said tubular socket at its mid-point and having leg portions extending longitudinally with said tubular socket and through said clearance notches and flaring at their terminals outwardly whereby to be inserted into distended portions of said clamp rings.

TRUMAN H. CLINE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,729,080 Miessner Sept. 24, 1929 2,085,887 Atkinson July 6, 1937 2,346,237 Rutember Apr. 11, 1944 2,465,753 Ross, Jr. Mar. 29, 1949 

